Together
by heartfeelias
Summary: The Battle of Haven was over, the city was recuperating but in the midst of all the joy of the victory, one brave huntress had yet to awaken. Blake had dreamed of her return and what she would say to team RWBY but never had she fathomed the shock of seeing Weiss fall right in front of her, now all they could do was wait for the sleeping beauty to open her eyes.


"Ms Belladonna!"

"Miss Huntress"

"Hey, it's the girl who led the faunus group,"

The citizens of Haven cheered as she strolled along the serpentine streets, the fresh air revitalising after being cooped up for too long even if it had been just a couple of days. Blake smiled, nodded and slinked off as politely as she could from the grateful population or from the rest of the fighters who wanted to show her comradery. It was hard to swallow how a week had not even passed from the conclusion of the battle of Haven. She was awakened by the sounds of chattering along with the banging of tools as life returned to its every day rhythm. The people of Haven, all the hunters and huntresses as well as her companions from Menagerie that had been spared with just a scratch or two were all busy fixing the town or defending it from lingering monsters whether human or not. There was not much more they could do as the injured were recuperating and their dead were buried respectfully but be prepared and resume their lives as best as they could. It heartened Blake to see faunus and humans working together, it was what the White Fang was supposed to strive for and it renewed her hope that equality was possible even if the scenes before her were caused by destruction and the madness of a powerful foe. A foe Adam's White Fang had helped.

"OH Blake!"

Spinning around with a smile forming on her lips to face the source of the voice Blake was met by the excited leader of team RWBY who kept calling out to her until she skidded to a stop at mere inches from her. Ruby Rose was covered in dust and grime, crouching to recuperate from the sudden burst by breathing in and out until her lungs could handle speaking once more. Behind her Jaune and his team saluted looking just as exhausted and sporting considerably less bandages than she had last seen them.

"Already busy this early in the morning," Blake jested, not quite surprised that her team leader would be helping out in the aftermath of the battle. The shorter girl never did like inaction or waiting patiently in a room for anything she needed, she preferred to pass time through any sort of activity and coupled with the need to exert her ridiculous store of energy this aspect of Ruby was what made many Professors at Beacon keep a close eye on her during lectures. This was a sharp contrast to her studious partner and possibly why they were perfectly complementary to one another. Blake's thoughts rushed to the person in question whom they were all still waiting for.

"Oh, yes, W-Weiss, she hasn't woken up and I'm too jumpy to just sit still, I mean, I imagined what she would do first and I had to just do this for the both of us, not to mention they keep telling us to wait its excruciating," Ruby rushed through her words and was interrupted by the older girl who tried to calm her down as she was struggling to follow. It was true that team RWBY had been driving the medics insane with their questions on when they could see Weiss or if she was awake yet and when she would awaken. If it wasn't all of them at once, each of them would visit the hospital whenever they could and always made the staff promise to contact them if there were any signs that her condition would change. Every time they were tormented by the same explanation, how Weiss needed time to heal, how the scar on her waist was not the only wound that had needed to mend and that it was important to rest now that the worst was over. 'A few good naps will be the best medication you young huntress could get especially in cases for aura depletion and over exhaustion' a particularly burly doctor had lectured smoothing his grey, unruly moustache. The nurses had been more considerate and mentioned the pain medication would also probably sedate their friend but it would be better than fighting the continuous pain as she recovered. Nevertheless the trio could not calm down until the last member of the team would be the one to berate them for over worrying, she was the last missing piece of their team puzzle as Yang once said in a poetic mood.

"She would be out and about helping out in the repairs and fending off Grimm, I know, Nice Weiss ever the present," Blake said softly and reassured her placing a hand on her leader's shoulder. The sisters had listened to her story and apologies all night following the end of the battle when they had to be plied off and shooed to an adjacent waiting room and first aid was administered to their wounded teammate. With Weiss in good hands, it was time to face her friends and explain her actions following the fall of Beacon and it nearly took the whole night. They would not have managed to get a wink of sleep anyway. It brought them closure although things with Yang were still a bit tense as they were too preoccupied with the sleeping heiress to find a moment alone together. Neither Runy nor Yang shunned her welcoming back their prodigal companion and Blake was eternally grateful to them for it.

"Don't worry Ruby, I was planning to visit Weiss today, the doctor sent message that she was stable enough for visitors and we were welcome," Blake squeezed the girl's shoulder, little did the medic know he had given team rwby the go ahead to stay by their friends side until she awakened or perhaps they deemed it the best action before any of them resorted to breaking and entering, "I'll send a message by scroll the moment she wakes up,"

Ruby's eyes lit up understanding the unspoken meaning behind her words, she ran back to team jn_r waving and thanking her all the way feeling safe that she would be immediately by her partner's side when Weiss would need her.

...

Blake made her way to makeshift hospital section housed in Haven Academy that was set up by the Healing squad from Atlas in the dorms on campus. Anyone with adequate medical knowledge to help out keep up with the numerous number of injured had been welcome and a number of residents and Faunus from Menagerie were up and about changing bandages or delivering food and medicine. The worse cases were given a room to themselves for better monitoring and Blake moved to Weiss' room almost automatically, her body accustomed after making the trip so many times she could do it in her sleep. Her thoughts, which spun around what she could possibly say to Weiss or if she even remembered that she was back, were halted by an insistent clicking sound. The Faunus moved her attention,ears twitching, to find the source of the noise and her foot instinctively took a step backwards at the scene before her.

"Yeah, I might have had a similar reaction," her partner laughed especially at the frown she earned from Blake who forced herself not to grin back at the woman who was sitting cross legged in the corner of the small room. It was unusually quiet, the room was large enough that it was used by visitors to the hospitalised in the adjacent rooms who were all the more severe cases, yet today it was empty save for themselves. "I don't think Big Schnee noticed me yet,"

"What are you doing Yang?," she looked back at Winter Schnee who moved gracefully from one end to the other of one of the doors, the one leading to where her sister was recovering. She would stop at one side, spare a pensive look to the door and stiffly turn around to resume her walk. Her outfit was in shambles, no doubt the special ops had been pushed to the brink in keeping the Grimm at bay, however she would always be back in her free time which probably left her very little time for herself.

Yang slowly uncrossed her legs, grunting less in effort and more in stiffness while slowly pushing herself off the floor, "Well, I was on my way to Weiss, again, planning to wait for you and all since you mentioned you'd be coming by when I found that scene," Yang nodded towards the nervous woman on the other side of the room, she shrugged showing uncertainty in how to handle the stressed specialist, "Been like that for at least an hour,"

"You've been staring at her _for an hour_?" Blake questioned.

"Hey," the blonde raised her hands defensively at the accusatory smirk, "she came thundering in with a force of a thousand Grimm in tow,". Yang posed to annunciate her descriptions, "it was awesome, it was cool, It was just a tad bit scary,"

"Her summons might have been in the double digits but a thousand Yang?" Blake laughed feeling a weight lifting off her chest. Yang was talking to her normally so perhaps when it was time to discuss their grievances about her 'escape' following the fall of Beacon it wouldn't be as terrifying as she had been imagining it.

"It felt like it, Cinder's group freaked out even more than we did," a smirk presented itself on the brawler's face relishing in the terrified looks she witnessed from Mercury in particular as a small nevermore nearly tripped him, "The look on Cinder's face when Winter hit her clean between the eyes, _priceless_ ,"

Personally Blake felt they all had lost track of the events that unfolded in that final stretches of the fight. When the Faunus had burst in the room with Sun and Ilia in tow, all the while her parents leading the clean up outside, only to feel a breath of cold air being sucked into her unexpecting lungs at the scene - a flaming spear returning to ashes followed by the sound of a body hitting the floor. She saw Yang gaping her eyes shifting crimson and immediately pushing herself away from her opponent with a burst of shots. Not too far away was Ruby shaking her head rubbing painfully at the bump Emerald had given her as a boy she did not recognise roused her, a bellow followed as she noticed just why the fighting ceased. Blake had remembered to motion to her companions who understood their roles and nodded their affirmation before moving to intercept her teammates' opponents. Her body moved on its own in a desperate need to cut the distance to her fallen friend in less than the never ending instant it took. She slide to her knees by her side, and inadvertently caused Jaune whom she had not noticed making his way to the fallen Weiss, to slip behind her. He screamed something about Cinder but Blake couldn't care less, she needed to get Weiss to safety. She was gasping for air in a panic turning Weiss as delicately as possible, the girl grimaced at the movement, a hand planted on her bleeding wound. Ruby and Yang had joined them mirroring her despairing look as they fell to their knees beside them just as she felt the air in the room plummet a few degrees. A rhythmic tick and tock echoed in the room as another joined the fight.

"WHAT? She's supposed to be out of Mistral," she had hear the woman across the room scream in indignation. She raised her arm adorned by a flowery tattoo, which somehow fit with her image, and pointed her weapon by her side. Cinder's group froze in an attempt to prepare themselves as they glared at the newest addition the group of huntresses and hunters. The room fell once again completely silent and no one dared to move. Yang had sworn she heard her uncle mutter an 'uh oh' right before the unexpected once again happened as a hand blocked her vision.

"I hoped," coughs muffled her speech as Weiss tried to smile, it looked more like a pained grimace, "All the prancing would prove fruitful,"

Glyphs were erupting in the section of the room Weiss' fight had been occurring and caught their enemies by surprise as they could not fathom she'd use the last of her strength to activate her traps. Nor that she had even been setting them in the first place as Vernal was too busy underestimating her resourcefulness. The glyphs glowed white hot and shot ice at Vernal, Cinder and anything in the vicinity. Winter Schnee moved with what seemed a smug smile, although Blake could not be certain in the confusion the trap caused, and did not waste the distraction using it as an opportunity to summon her 'thousands of Grimms' as Yang had exaggerated in her description. Before marching off straight at the Fall maiden she snapped at the team to get her sister to safety. With that, the tide of the battle had quickly changed and in a gruesome conclusion they had miraculously thrown the assailants out of Haven, relic safe and sound. Unfortunately, the damage had been done and although the battle ended in victory the aftermath it left weighed heavily on all the present and the city.

"Truthfully, anything happened to Ruby, I know I'd selfishly want to be the first person she sees when she wakes up so I sorta felt like I could wait for you outside and give her time to prepare," Yang sighed snapping her out of her thoughts of the Academy fight, she raised her brow playfully keeping her tone lighthearted, "I will admit she's easy on the eyes too,"

Blake teasingly slapped her on her arm in response, "Yang that IS Weiss' older sister,"

"Yeah well, nobody ever said Weiss wasn't pretty either," she elbowed her back earning another chiding look and a twitch of an ear.

Blake smiled reflecting the glee her partner was showing her, "I'm so glad we can talk like this Yang,"

"Yes, uh, you know...," Yang cleared her throat rubbing her cool mechanical arm on her warm neck, "I gotta admit it's also thanks to Weiss, she's a really good listener, told me to listen to your reasons because I wasn't the only one that needed my team's support, uh, and she was right, we all need each other Blake,"

Blake remained silent as the blonde sniffled and told her about how angry she had felt, betrayed, her ears flattened in shame but she never let her eyes wander away from Yang. She was done with running away and promised to face her team head on as they deserved.

"Weiss' words, her empathy, I never knew my pig-headed temper could be so easily...reviewed, she said she'd be here for you, support you _when_ you made it back and it cleared my head really, so when she's all well and good Blake, let's have a good talk, partner to partner," Yang stood fidgeting awkwardly feeling a little bit too vulnerable, she had always been a woman of action and wording her feelings rather then punching them out was more difficult than she thought but left her surprisingly satisfied and bubbly enough to slide in a jest, "I've already said you're forgiven, and you've already grovelled at our feet enough in repentance,"

Blake slapped her one more time on the arm at her need to joke at such a serious time but thanked her warmly, she turned to look back at Weiss' room feeling the heat spread all around her head as she thought of the trust coming from the Weiss _Schnee,_ someone she had once upon a time thought of as her worst enemy. Time and time again Weiss was proving to be more than capable to not allow her name shape her, she would be the one to give colour to her family name. It was suddenly very warm and Blake had to swallow dryly in a gulp as she felt the pressure of meeting the expectations of the trust she was being gifted.

Yang place a warm hand on her back and encouraged her gently, "It's ok Blakey I'm not too sure about this either, but we can do this together, _for Weiss_ ,"

...

Yang had been on speaking terms with Winter ever since they had bumped into her on their second attempt to convince some medic to let them into Weiss' room at least just a second. They would seem polar opposites to observers yet enough similarities seemed to have allowed them to form a bonding of sorts. Perhaps it was over being older sisters or how they sparked a conversation over training regimes but ever since then Yang would sometimes keep her company and converse with the Atlas specialist. With a few amiable words as Blake smiled awkwardly behind her partner, Yang managed to coax Winter into the room with them.

"She should be waking up soon," Winter coughed explaining how the pain medication was no longer needed in tranquilizing amounts as Weiss' aura had recovered to minimize that need. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before returning to her seat beside the sleeping ex-heiress. Winter had been the only one allowed in a few times, being a family member, and Blake was certain the way she glared a hole into the nurses very soul had something to do with it too. However it seemed that not even all the training she had been subjected to could prepare her for this and at times she would need to regain her composure as they had witnessed earlier.

Blake and Yang made their way to seat themselves on some surviving furniture where they had a clear view of the heiress. To their relief, there were less tubes stuck to her than the last glimpse they had seen of Weiss as a nurse shut the door in the second night of her slumber. Thankfully Winter had kept them informed whenever she could preventing Yang, or any of them for the matter, to kick to door down to check. Blake sent a message to Ruby informing her of everything the older Schnee had told them as she remembered her promise. She'd probably make her way to them very soon.

In a matter of minutes, exhaustion and giddiness took over as they surveyed Weiss, looking considerably less pale and a healthy creamy colour, and breathing far more easily her relaxed slumbering face betraying no sign of hurt. The pair did not wake up until they were jolted to their feet frightened by the sounds of guns firing. Blake and Yang were already back to back their thoughts spiralling out of control on how to keep Weiss safe from any stray bullets. It had been quite late when they had entered the room however they were still surprised to find it was already night time and that it was not the sound of a new enemy they had heard.

A quiet laugh caught their attention. Amusement danced along with slight annoyance as Winter turned to look out of the window directly in front of the bed.

"Fireworks," Yang gasped in awe and the theatrics of the festivities celebrating the battle that had been won. They had completely forgotten about the celebrations and Yang almost whooped before Blake pulled at her sleeve to catch her attention.

"W-wh- oh,"

Yang's mouth parted in the form of a circle as she stared at the rousing Weiss before she grinned toothily at Blake. The Faunus' nose was already prickling with the threat of tears, her eyes would soon start burning and she wouldn't be able to stop. Winter had merely blinked at the sound never quite letting herself show surprise yet she was leaning closer to her sister as if to make sure she was not dreaming. It might have not been the first time she mistook a groan or a sigh as assign of awakening.

"It's a partah, Winntur," Weiss blinked groggily giggling at the display of flowering lights in the night sky. Bang! A light cerulean blast followed by a darker blue shot coloured the night sky. The stars seemed to glitter in the background adding to the mysterious atmosphere.

"Yes, I suppose so," her voice betrayed emotion, a small smile forming as she grasped her little sister's hand and squeezed reassuringly. Relief, happiness and amusement washed over Winter and they all resounded in the small laugh that escaped her lips. It seemed the nurses had been very serious about the pain medication effecting patients and the drug which had been pumped into Weiss' small body seemed to still be enough to leave a fuzziness clouding her mind working in conjunction with all the days she had been slumbering on the road to recovery.

"Pretty colours," she mumbled extending a hand wearily as if to pluck one of them from the sky, "Oh my pretty friends are here, I'm so glad,"

"Weiss, thank the stars, you're awake," Blake huffed trying not to voice her amusement with the bubbling feeling in her chest. She placed a hand on Weiss' shoulder pushing the white strands out of the way so not to pull them and helped her upright, juggling her weight from one side and letting Winter balance her from the other side. Together they managed to keep her from falling or accidentally removing her drip in her loopy disorientation. Another bang erupted in a flurry of purple and it was closely followed by a whistling that bloomed into a radiant gold spreading spherically painting the night in brilliant displays of colour.

"Oh Blake, Blake's back, guess what Blake," Weiss slurred bumping her head onto the side of said persons arm, "I think we might be scare buddies, yep, yep,"

Blake swallowed hard uncertain if she should let the bubbling sensation bloom into a laugh or cry. Her reply came out in between a mixture of both as a knot had formed in her throat, "Mhmmm, scar buddies,"

"Aww, you called us pretty, I swear I'm never going to let you live this down, Yahoo nice Weiss," Yang interjected patting her hand which had fallen limp once Weiss mind registered the fact she could not grab the fireworks to hold onto them. Everyone was thankful to avoid the subject preferring to revel in the awakening of their sleeping beauty and in time they would admit scar buddies had been a cute way to put the near death experiences they shared and wonderful as an analogy to keep in store for future storytelling meetups. She had cheered back at Yang with an enthusiastic 'yay' taking the bait just as the door burst open in a flurry of roses.

Ruby did not stop in her race to make it to her team and almost threw herself into her partners arms had it not been for Winter who saved her from tripping right onto the bed.

"WEISSSSS, I'm, SO, happy," their poor leader cried letting the waterworks flow just as a large reverberation signalled a bright red firework joining the fading glittering remains of the previous blasts..

The girl's surprise entrance seemed to start sobering up Weiss a bit as she blinked back tears and smiled at the most important people in her life. Ever since Winter had left to become one Ironwood's guard Weiss had forgotten what it felt to have someone genuinely care for her wellbeing. Now it felt she would give anything and everything to keep them all safe and most importantly, together even trough the haze of her sleepy mind.

...

There was a dull thumping along her diaphragm that never quite let her fall back to sleep. The fact her whole body ached in the need to move after being stuck to a bed for so many days, her muscle stiff with disuse, kept her on the brink of a dream. Her mind kept on venturing to the events prior to losing consciousness and all she could see were her fumbling teammates. Yang must have carried her to safety, her face was the first to flash past in her woozy memory and her body distinctly remembered the cold touch of her automated arm under her legs. At the time, it had felt soothing against her burning skin. Weiss had felt safe in the strong arms that held her steady and neither squeezed to hard nor rocked her around more than necessary. When the jostling had stopped she had still been thankful for the motion had made her feel a little sick but a sense of dread washed over her as Ruby came into view. Her leader had been crying, eyes puffed red and she could not quite understand why at that point, she seemed to be in good health albeit a tear here and there in her legwear and battered clothing. The last person she saw was Blake, and she looked like she was about to hurl, worry sketched in the way her brow creased and her Faunus ear, her left one in particular, twitched.

"It's ok Weiss, you're going to be just fine," Blake hiccupped frantically looking around her for any sign of enemies. The Faunus took Weiss' bloody hand in her own squeezing every time sleep threatened to take hold of girl. Luckily, the spear that had pierced the ex-heiress had been a made of fire aiding in the closure of the wound and for the bleeding to remain minimal however it was still consistent.

"I'm alright Blake," Weiss croaked finding the weight pressing on her abdomen distracting and disliked how it made it difficult to breath without being sent in a spiral of coughs. ' _You're back, you're here_ ,' she had wanted to say but even the smallest action was now taking too much effort to perform and she was just so tired.

The problem was her depleted aura which meant she could not heal on her own especially as such a large wound would require time and medication the battlefield could not offer. Blake licked her lips her hand gently laying on the gash, wincing as Weiss gasped and fresh red painted her fingers as the fabric they had been using to pressure the blood loss to a stop was caked with blood. The only positive aspect was that the flow was indeed being reduced so Blake kept pressing the wound as gently as possible.

Weiss couldn't remember past that point and shivered the spasm causing her to awake as the soreness settled once more and reached an uncomfortable level. She brought her fingers to her temple only to flinch when she felt a squeeze on her arm. As her vision adjusted to the dark she could make out her teammate smiling at her, golden eyes sparkling with an emotion she couldn't quite point out. Weiss must have woken her up when she tried to move her arm since it was connected to the hand entwined with the Faunus' who had laid resting by her side. Weiss thought the chair must have been awfully uncomfortable to sleep on.

"Careful, you wouldn't want to hurt yourself," Blake murmured nodding at her hand a needle stuck to the back of it that seemed to be linking her to an I.V drip. Her clothes seemed to have been changed to a more comfortable set of pyjamas that seemed to large for her. Weiss was thankful as her usual outfit was comfortable enough but made to hug her body closely and most definitely not for bed rest.

"Now that you're awake and your aura is back in action they removed most medication but they said you still needed some nutrients to help you out," Blake explained seeing her confused stare.

"I do still feel famished," she rasped trying to clear her throat. It was so dry it felt as if she had been forced to swallow a box of pins and needles, "and horribly thirsty,"

Blake quickly left her side to retrieve the jug of water and a glass the nurses had left them, her residual warmth somehow made Weiss feel lonely as her hand grew cold. It left her frowning at the strangeness of her feelings but she attributed it to the fact she hadn't fully recovered and quickly gathered her bearings. She was obviously in not in an actual hospital room, possibly somewhere in the academy which she recalled reading was once a villa of a founder of Haven Academy used by the older students as a dorm. It would explain the giant paintings stuck to the wall and the large queen sized bed she had been placed in. It also gave her teammates enough space to find a corner of the bed and lay close to her. Ruby and Yang were snoring away at her feet and Weiss couldn't help but smile fondly and chuckle but her chest protested at the sudden jumps in air and she had to stifle some coughs.

"I had to win the right to hold your hand you know, since your sister wouldn't let go of your other hand," Blake teased swiftly making her way back at the sounds of coughing and soothingly rubbed her free hand along her back. She motioning towards her right side as she handed Weiss the glass of water that was gulped down in an instant. Winter sat sideways, legs crossed and facing the window. Her hand lay by Weiss, palm up and fingers closing in to hold on to an invisible hand. Winter must have been holding onto her other arm before losing to her body's demand for rest and she'd finally lost her grip once asleep. Weiss felt a her eyes burn but she bit back the tears knowing fully well she would be chided for such silly emotionalism.

"That's so childish, I wasn't going anywhere," she huffed.

"What are you talking about? We were worried," Blake's cat ears flattened against her skull as she slumped back onto her chair, "We wanted to stay close, make sure you'd be alright, Weiss, we didn't even know if you'd be alright for a moment there,"

Blake couldn't understand how those gorgeous blue eyes could widen in surprise expression lost to the meaning of her words as if she couldn't quite grasp that her teammates were worried for her wellbeing or how they could even feel like so for her. Yang's earlier confession on how Weiss had talked her out of beating her up for running away started to make more sense in the Faunus mind. Yang had avoided referring to anything personal but she admitted that Weiss had told her about how often she had felt alone and unwelcome in her own home. It also showed in the stiff way Winter displayed her affection for her little sister, it was always a slow process and to the trained eye very clumsy which contrasted with the woman's perfect image. She shared this flustering way of expressing love with her younger sister who fumbled in her interactions with the teams more playful get togethers.

Blake sighed and shifted closer to the bed. She didn't know what she was doing until she found herself pressing a hand on Weiss abdomen. The girl spluttered at the contact bewildered by what was going on only managing to keep her breathing steady as she stared back into earnest golden eyes. The Faunus looked just as uncertain but she leapt guided by a wave of affection and it seemed contagious as Weiss shyly lifted her shirt' she could almost her the thumping of Weiss heart mimicking her own spluttering beat. It was a slow process that burned Blake's eyes as she tried not to blink for fear she'd break the spell that had taken a hold of them. Weiss' skin was peppered pink and Blake's own face started to burn unnaturally. They both grimaced at the ugly discoloured and jagged memory of the nightmare that had finally passed. Weiss placed her hand on the back of Blake's own and guided it to the new scar, she exhaled pleasantly at the touch of the cold fingers that tapped gently and soothingly. Blake took care with her touch recalling how her own scar had pained her for weeks even after it had healed. In the trance they had fallen into the Faunus climbed closer leaning heavily onto the bed, knees at the very edge and placed her palm on Weiss boiling cheek.

Weiss sighed into her hand and murmured contently, lips tickling Blake's hand, "That feels so nice,"

Slowly and deliberately Blake dipped down with a reassuring smile making sure not to scare the ex-heiress and removed their entwined hands from the girl's waist. She touched her lips to the marred skin lingering for just a second before looking back up to the blushing Weiss. It felt good to have gained the upper hand although she was quite certain she was as red as the smaller girl was. The hand that had brushed along her black tresses in trancelike response to her actions lingered by her cat ears twitching in eager expectance and for a moment Weiss seemed to have forgotten how to breath as a silent request to continue passed between them.

"I don't want to interrupt," they both jumped away as laughter chimed at the foot of the bed. Blake almost slipped on her own two feet as she created some distance between herself and the person receiving her affection. Thankfully, Weiss held her hand and pulled at her enough for Blake to regain her equilibrium. Yang groaned stretching her arms above her head until a healthy and sound crack reverberated along her spine and she exhaled happily as her bones and muscles thanked her for the change in posture. Sleeping at the foot of a bed was definitely on the bottom of the list of comfortable places to nap in.

"Although," she continued pointing at the slumbering older Schnee, "I would get a private room for what comes next,"

"Yang!" Blake hissed glancing at the person in question making sure Winter was not going to be skewering her in a moment of distraction. Weiss caught her eye once more and the both of them felt the air in the room grew hotter. The blush painting Weiss pale skin had reached up to her ears and Blake had to catch herself for smiling, after all she was certain the girl had the same effect on her and any signs she effected Weiss just as much were welcome.

"Yang, you oafish brute," Weiss somehow managed to throw a pillow straight at the blonde's face who caught it before it fell.

Yang grinned and extended her arms towards her playfully receiving a questioning look as Weiss realised too late what the brawler would be doing. In two strides Yang was by her side locking her in a gentle bear hug and peppering her hair, forehead and face in kisses all the while ignored the push of the smaller girl's arms and her plea to stop. Blake guffawed holding her waist as the smacking sounds coming from Yang and the weak protests from their fencer.

"It's not very threatening if you're all giddy and grinny, oh Weisstatic one," Yang remarked taking a moment to stop her attack and aim the pillow playfully onto her sister's peacefully knocked out in dreamland face. There was a soft thump and a yelp following the sounds of fretting as Ruby tried not to lose her balance on her chair only to fail miserably. With a protesting screech it had toppled causing her to fall flat on her back with a squeak. Blake and Weiss looked each other in concern while Yang found it very amusing and snickered in the croon of Weiss' neck her grip never once loosened. The pulse thumping underneath the tender skin soothed Yang's nerves confirming she has not dreamed of their teammate's awakening.

Ruby shoot up fists ready for combat mumbling something about stolen treasure and swaying from side to side against an invisible enemy, "You shall not burn my cookies, Cinder Fall,"

It took her a minute to figure out her surroundings and shuffled under the scrutiny of three pairs of judging eyes. "Oh," Ruby grinned slowly letting her arms fall in resigned awkwardness, shifting her eyes between her teammates before running up to her partner for a hug. It was a strange contortion of limbs since Yang had not quite let go in the first place, Winter by the brawler's side eyes closed and unmoving while Blake was still holding her left hand. "Good morning? night? uh, what time is it anyway?"

Blake swiftly pawed for the scroll in her pocket and confirmed the empty feeling in their stomach demanding for nutrition was not misplaced. They had stirred just before dawn and the growing chatter from outside as Haven was awakening became much clearer.

"Bed and breakfast?" Ruby suggested and proceeded to mention a small shop with assortments of muffins and confectionary that might do the trick. Yang recalled seeing a grocery close by that might have something closer to Blake and Weiss palate. They all agreed they should find something soft small and yet filling for Weiss who had not had solid food for a significant amount of time and to avoid the hospital gruel helpers were serving that seemed to have been the Atlas' soldier rations. Ruby made her best disgusting face with a 'yuck' for emphasis as she described the torment of having to eat the grey chunk prepared for them on her own first day of recovery.

"I can make a very good omelette if you can find me some eggs," a voice droned icily from behind Yang. The brawler seemed to gulp as she turned to acknowledge who it belonged to. Lilac meet glacial blue for a second before she swivelled back to her stunned team. Yang decided she was not getting away and prepared to address Winter only to be greeted by the steely smile of Weiss' older sister, immediately regretting how they had all completely forgotten about the woman. Untangling herself from Weiss and pushing Ruby along with her, Yang raised her hands defensively giving the sisters the space they needed, her lips twitched at the edges as she tried to stop herself from smirking. Winter's smile seemed to soften and a spark of challenge mixed with bemusement flashed between the pair before she quickly adjusted her seat to face her sister. Yang was somehow glad Weiss was too stupefied to notice the playful tension between them.

Ruby seemed to be the first to recover probably because the embarrassment of having been caught in a mushy act by the sister she so idolised froze her partner who was still trying to find the right words to form an explanation. At the very least she managed to keep from gaping like a fish as Blake did until the Faunus opted to shrink back into her chair.

Seeing that her team was defeated by the sudden input from Winter which had cut into their reunion it was up to their team leader to save the day in the form of a stuttering set of pleasantries between nervous chuckles, "Sorry...to...wake you up,"

Winter seemed to approve of the course of action or perhaps even a Schnee had a teasing bone in her body and replied courtly, "That's quite alright, I happen to be a light sleeper and was awake for some time Miss Rose,"

The implication seemed to snap Weiss out of shock and suddenly she was frantic in her search for the proper way to address her the suggestion hanging I Winter's tone. It may have been best not to fall for the bait but recent events and the excitement of reuniting with all of her team may have let her guard slip as she awkwardly addressed Winter, "When you say, _some time,_ do you mean...?"

Winter sandwiched her hand amiably between her own rubbing circles with her thumb before replying to her flustered sister in an a soft yet firm no nonsense tone. There was a smile tugging at her lips and that familiar playful glimmer in her eyes from the days of their childhood, the one from when Winter would relent her need to toughen the both of them and give in to childish whims. It was rare for her older sister to play her age even in their youth but the times she did let herself go were the most happy of Weiss' infancy. It was the same spark she saw when Weiss was eight and their parent's were to busy fighting to bother with her thus justifying Winter's decision to have a tea party outside in an igloo Klein had helped her to make. Their father had a fit later on when he found out and Winter made sure to hide her shivering sibling behind her and reassure her until he was too purple in the face to continue chiding them. It was this look that told Weiss her older sister had probably not even been asleep in the first place.

"I mean, Weiss, that I must agree with Yang," she stopped letting the words sink in as she confronted the appalled Blake, "There is a time and place for everything, Ms Belladonna, you would do well to remember,"

Weiss nearly choked on air in embarrassment and managed to, at the very least, lower her head guiltily and almost considered an escape plan before realising she was still stuck to an I. V. and other tubes she preferred to ignore. Blake whimpered, smacking her hands on her face and crumpling into her seat in the hope of becoming as small and as invisible to that accusing stare as possible. If she was lucky a black hole would soon appear and she would be swallowed whole that instant whisked away to a far off galaxy. Alas, it was not the case and it merely sent Yang into a fit of chortles that was so contagious even Winter was laughing, albeit in a soft and restrained manner that fit her image well.

"How are you feeling Weiss?" Winter asked softly when the room finally grew silent once more.

Weiss, now having recovered from her inebriation, her mind crisp and as clear as water, could finally grasp her situation and she mulled over the question before her shoulders slumped in shame at recalling what she considered a most mediocre performance against who they once assumed was the spring maiden. Vernal who had not even bothered to use her magic against her in Weiss' mind and the fact further drove the jab at her wounded pride knowing she had not been able to push her opponent to her limits. Granted she had been preoccupied with setting up her trap glyphs and several months off of training may have slowed her reflexes yet it still stung to know she had not proven her worth. Or at least she did not feel she had done a very good job in proving herself.

"I'm so sorry, Winter, I know you helped me train but I just kept slipping up," she choked feeling the frustration cause tears to swell up painfully in her eyes as she recounted all the little mistakes, all the distractions and her trial to make sure her team was doing well only to find herself rolling on the floor, bruised and battered. She heard shuffling around her and little gasps as she let her emotions get the better of her but her team knew better than to interfere when Winter seemed to be already moving to intervene, she ignored her sister calling her name as she kept on apologizing for not being useful beyond of the distraction she provided.

She sniffled in between sentences rubbing angrily at the trickling sensation tickling her cheeks, "I thought if I could set up the traps just right, maybe even freeze one of them or at least give the others some time to recuperate, I thought I could prove being a Schnee didn't matter, I just- , I- ,"

"Weiss!"

Her sister's raised hand came into her line of vision cutting off the rest of her panicked explanation. She closed her eyes quickly expected the same bonk on the head she received the last time they had reunited and Weiss had let her chatter box awkwardness get the better of her. It came as a surprise when she felt no sudden light throbbing on her head and instead she felt a hand gently smoothing out her bedhead.

"Perhaps, I did not make myself clear," Winter smiled reassuringly letting her military persona be replaced by the need to be her younger sister's refuge. She had chided Blake about her display of affection however she would not be throwing her own advice without acting on it when her sister needed the boost in confidence now more than ever. Today, it was right to be just plain old Winter, the older sibling, not the Atlas specialist and definitely not the Schnee, "You performed admirably and I am very proud to be the sister of such an upstanding up and coming huntress, Weiss, I have no need for an explanation on your battle, what I'd like to know is if you are hurt,"

She felt her sibling shake as she tapped her palm to against Weiss's flushed cheeks to cup her face and softly moved her thumb across the scar over her closed eyelid, "So tell me my snowflake, Is there anything you need? Is there anything I can do for you or get you?"

 _'Except hunt down the scum who did this to you'_

Winter pushed down the darker thoughts relishing in the memory of her knuckles connecting to the scum that hurt her precious younger sister. She might have been part of the calm and composed military force under General Ironwood, a role she played with confidence and pride but she would be lying if she said the feeling of bone cracking under the force of her attack fuelled by her anger had not been satisfying. Cinder Fall had left with failure and even more enemies than she had before the battle had started as the reinforcements from Menagerie and Atlas thwarting their plans for a surprise attack on the city of Haven.

Slowly pulling Weiss towards her so their foreheads touched she was happy to feel it was not too warm and any signs of the fever that had ailed her in the worst hours prior the start of her recovery had ebbed. The sisters gingerly shifted in positions so Winter could climb the bed without being squished to the point of discomfort and so Weiss could place herself leaning on the older woman's chest who tenderly enclosed her in an arm she wound round the smaller girl and moved as close as possible to one another.

"I've already got what I need," Weiss replied happily relishing the fuzzy warmth bubbling around her abdomen, "I'm too relieved to care just how sore I am,"

The grumbling sound vibrating against Winter seemed to loudly protest at her words reminding everyone of just what was needed to be done: procuring breakfast. Reacting to the gurgling organ the room erupted into a storm of loud laughter mixed with softer giggles. It was soon joined by an orchestra of similar noises echoing throughout the room when equally demanding stomachs agreed in the hopes to be filled up using a large amount of warm possibly extra calorific food after all the excitement they all had been subjected to. Blake, Yang and Ruby took the chore upon themselves in order to allow the siblings to have some alone time until they could fetch all they needed for a fantastic celebratory breakfast. Ruby deemed it would be a feast fit for a princess. Blake quickly reminded them as per usual that Weiss was the heir of the Schnee company and said ex-heiress didn't feel like correcting her. The story of how she was disowned could wait a bit.

As her team made for the door, Blake met her eyes in a silent promise and was greeted by a small wave of acknowledgment. As they exited the room, she distinctly heard Ruby questioning Yang on how she had gotten to first name basis with _the Winter Schnee_ and found she was very, very curious herself. Weiss peeked at her sister and was welcomed with a soft smile and a bump of their heads, in turn she concluded it was best to leave that particular topic for another day, especially since Winter had caught monochrome in action.

Weiss felt content in sharing the warmth radiating between their bodies and decided to push her luck, snuggling closer and locking her finger's with her sisters free hand. Winter didn't protest feeling the same need to remain close having been emotionally and physically exhausted following the events of the attack on Haven having had her mind occupied with heading one of the cleaning squads against lingering Grimm and the fact that the injury her sister suffered had been severe. Now that the latter was over pampering her little snowflake did not seem to be such a bad idea and the events leading to the injury could be discussed for the sake of Weiss improvement when the nightmarish wait for her to awaken was long and forgotten. In the meantime, Winter and Weiss were happy to rest and relish in small talk without settling on a particular topic as they awaited their grand meal. There was no question that they would certainly spending the rest of her day, and many days to come, together in this well earned road to recovery. Weiss noted enveloped in the familial feeling her team and sister had created she had very well forgotten how it felt to be lonely.


End file.
